Well, Dune and a Bacon number of 2 is an automatic . . .

Wind assist is being considered.

He’s worth $1.7 billion. While that’s an astronomical (pun somewhat intended) amount of money for you or me, that’s not even a very big NASA mission these days. And what you’re describing is maybe similar to the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope, which is up to almost $4 billion. Telescopes, especially space…

Thank you for such a detailed reply! Fascinating!

Just curious, the pressure relief valves you use, are they passive or active? It sounds like the one in this case was solenoid-activated. While I kinda understand the theory, I’m not entirely clear on how this one works. Sounds like there’s some active feedback mechanism in its design.

Just curious, the pressure relief valves you use, are they passive or active? It sounds like the one in this case was solenoid-activated. While I kinda understand the theory, I’m not entirely clear on how this one works. Sounds like there’s some active feedback mechanism in its design.

One thing to keep in mind- the Centaur upper stage is a pressure supported vessel, or a “balloon tank.” It needs to maintain a certain minimum pressure, or it will collapse under its own weight and the weight of its payload. So, the valve absolutely HAS to stay closed below a certain pressure. It sounds like they…

ValveTech did not make this valve. They had contract disputes on StarLiner, so they’re just opining on what they’re reading in the press. It comes off as sour grapes over a contract dispute. More detail over at Gizmodo.

ValveTech did not make this valve. They had contract disputes on StarLiner, so they’re just opining on what they’re reading in the press. It comes off as sour grapes over a contract dispute. More detail over at Gizmodo.

If I’m not mistaken, I don’t even think it was the supplier for this particular valve! They’re another valve company which I don’t think has direct familiarity with this particular valve just chiming in on the same general information that we all have.

Also, the valve maker (who did not make this valve) is simply making general observations, and do not have any application-specific knowledge of this LOX tank pressure relief valve on the Centaur. Whereas, ULA is intimately familiar with this, and is monitoring it carefully, and in fact, went the conservative route…

I assume this might be related to the shim issue. Since they build the sections of the aircraft as complete barrels, which are very rigid, and they need to fit them together so they don’t transfer excessive loads in any one portion of the mating surface, shims are necessary to allow for the minute tolerance gaps. Not…

The launch vehicle, which has had over 100 successful missions in a row, had a valve anomaly, which would not have delayed a satellite launch, but they more stringent criteria for a crewed launch.

I work in software for running business processes. We sometimes use the phrase, “Pace over Perfection.” That approach works for some applications. It emphatically does NOT work for applications where human lives hang in the balance.

I understand the argument that an MCAS failure should be handled the same as a runaway trim event. But, the design that was reliant on non-redundant AoA sensors and which relentlessly drove the trim to extremes without stopping if there was an AoA sensor failure was incompetent in the extreme. Especially for a systems…

I’m always a bit bothered by the “investment” argument. Unless you get struck by lightning and buy something like a Ferrari GTO before its massive runup, most cars, even collector cars, go up far slower than the market. As an investment, even very collectible cars will (usually) make you less money than just putting…

For the older folks (not that I’m too old for Ren and Stimpy):

I can’t speak for SailGP, but with America’s Cup yachts, the power for controlling sails and hydraulics for the foils comes from a bunch of bicyclists (sorry, CYCLORS!), making them nominally and at least theoretically human powered, and the electronics are just a transmission means.

I rode in a rearward facing seat in a Ford Country Squire station wagon. I died in an accident 45 years ago. #therestofthestory

Billions of milligrams.